Mediterranean Eggplant + Chickpea Dip

Ever so easy.

Eggplant + Chickpea dip. A Mediterrean spin on the traditional hummus you love so much. 

A touch of garden mint freshens it up for spring. 

Serve with baked pita chips and you have an antipasti appetizer

sure to please. 

Mediterranean Eggplant Dip 

1 cup  chickpeas, drained

1 Tbsp. Mint Pesto { or use 3-4  fresh mint leaves}

            1 clove garlic

1 Tbsp. Tahini paste 

3 Tbsp.  fresh lemon juice

1 cup  Roasted Eggplant Pesto 

¼ cup  extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp.  Sicilian Lemon Oil * optional

In food processor, puree chickpeas, mint and garlic until chopped finely. Add tahini, lemon juice and  eggplant pesto. With processor running, drizzle in olive oil until mixture is smooth. Serve in a decorative serving dish and drizzle top with lemon oil 

and fresh mint sprig. 

Buon appetito!
copyright 2010 Alisa Barry

Eggplant Involtini

 For those of you that love your veggies, you will be in heaven with this dish.

It's a vegeterian {and gulten- free} riff on the traditional stuffed ravioli.  Instead of stuffing pasta, you're stuffing baked or grilled slices of eggplant.  The filling is made with fresh ricotta and chopped basil.

Simple. Easy. So far so good.

And then there's the sauce. Depending on the time of year, you can use what's on hand. Since the summer abundance of tomato season hasn't arrived yet, I'm using a Passata . Any pasta sauce will do. If you want it slightly spicy, you can use an Arrabiata . If you prefer a sweeter sauce, try a Peperonata  made with caramelized onion and sauteed golden + red bell peppers.  In summer, you can roast or grill fresh tomatoes of any variety and puree or emulsify as they are, or add a few cloves of fresh garlic, basil and salt + pepper for seasoning.

See? This is a dish that will make everyone at the table happy.  Buon appetito!

EGGPLANT INVOLTINI
For those of you that love your pasta, use uncooked fresh lasagna  pasta sheets in place of the eggplant.

1 large eggplant cut lengthwise into thin strips

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tbs. Kosher salt

 ¾ cup ricotta cheese

 ¼ parmesan cheese

 2 Tbs. fresh basil leaves, torn

 1 tsp. black pepper

 1 whole egg

 1 tsp. fresh mint leaves, chopped or 1 Tablespoon Mint and Pistachio Pesto 

 ½ cup  Eggplant Pesto * optional

 2 cups  Organic Passata al Pomodoro pasta sauce

 8 oz. Mozzarella Cheese

Arrange eggplant slices on a plate and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

Grill over a medium flame on a grill until golden brown on both sides, about one minute per side. (*Alternatively you can sauté the eggplant with extra virgin olive oil  or roast in a 350 degree oven until light brown on both sides ) Set eggplant strips aside  to cool until ready to fill.

To make filling:

 In a medium mixing bowl add the  parmesan, ricotta, basil, black pepper, salt, egg, mint, and eggplant pesto {optional}. Mix until all ingredients are combined.

To assemble:

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Pour passata into a medium-sized oven proof casserole. 

 Take one slice of eggplant and place 2 Tablespoons on the filling mixture at one end and slowly roll it loosely to the other end.  Continue with the remaining slices of eggplant.

Place one slice of the mozzarella over each piece and bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted, slightly brown and bubbly.

Garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and a grating of parmesan and serve with crusty toasted slices of Italian bread rubbed with a fresh garlic clove. 

Serve four.

Buon appetito!
copyright 2010 Alisa Barry

Eggplant & Feta Lamburgers with Mint hummus and fresh spinach

I love our new mint & pistachio pesto. The flavor is fresh and bright and it sings of spring. While I was testing recipes today with lamb, this dish came to mind. It is quick and easy and can be cooked indoors at the stove or out of doors alfresco on the grill. Best of all, it only takes minutes to put together with a few ingredients from the grocer and the Bella Cucina pantry.

Would love to have had some pictures to share, but my camera is on the blink! so, hopefully, the recipe is mouthwatering enough to get you to the grocery store and get cooking!

Eggplant & Feta Lamburgers

1# ground lamb
1 - 6 oz. jar Eggplant Pesto
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 whole egg
4 oz. feta cheese
Olive Oil
4 small or 2 large whole wheat or plain pita rounds
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
{see below for ingredients to make the sauce}

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, add the lamb and 1/2 cup eggplant pesto, cumin, parsley, salt, pepper and egg. Crumble in the feta add mix just until well blended. Mold with your hands into four 4 oz. lamb burgers.

Heat a non stick skillet with one Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Place the burgers in the pan without crowding them. Saute over medium heat until caramelized and browned, about 3 minutes. Turn over and cook on the other side. Place in the oven and cook just until lamb is cooked through, about 4-5 minutes, or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. If serving warm, cover with tin foil.

While the lamburgers are cooking in the oven, make the mint hummus sauce.

Mint & Chickpea hummus

1 - 6 oz. jar Garlic and Lemon marinated Chickpeas
1 Tablespoon MInt & Pistachio Pesto {not on our website yet, but you can call the store at 800.580.5674 or make your own!}
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

In a food processor or blender, add the chickpeas, mint pesto and lemon juice. Puree until coarsely chopped and well blended.
Refrigerate until ready to use.

To assemble the burgers, cut open the put and spoon some of the mint hummus on one side. Spoon the remaining eggplant pesto on the other side of the pita. Top with the burger and a handful of baby spinach leaves.

Serve with preserved lemon couscous.
{simply add one wedge of chopped preserved lemon to your couscous while cooking}.

Serves four.

Buon appetito!
copyright 2009 Alisa Barry